Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Tāmasa Sarga, the Androgynous Division of Brahmā, and the Lineages of Dharma and Adharma

Devanagari script

अथात्मनि समद्राक्षीत् तमोमात्रां नियामिकाम् / रजः सत्त्वं च संवृत्य वर्तमानां स्वधर्मतः

Transliteration

athātmani samadrākṣīt tamomātrāṃ niyāmikām / rajaḥ sattvaṃ ca saṃvṛtya vartamānāṃ svadharmataḥ

Translation

پھر اس نے اپنے ہی آتما میں تَمَس ہی سے بنی ہوئی نِیامک قوت کو دیکھا، جو رَجَس اور سَتْو کو ڈھانپ کر بھی اپنے ذاتی قانون کے مطابق کارفرما رہتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• आत्मनि: in himself
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सम्-अद्राक्षीत्: saw clearly
• सम्-अद्राक्षीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + sam (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तमः-मात्राम्: a mere portion of darkness
• तमः-मात्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + mātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘तमसो मात्रा’ = a mere measure/portion of darkness)

• नियामिकाम्: regulating/controlling
• नियामिकाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyāmikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘controlling/regulating’

• रजः: rajas (activity)
• रजः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्वृत्य इत्यस्य कर्म)

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (clarity)
• सत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• सम्-वृत्य: having covered
• सम्-वृत्य: Kriyā (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु) + sam (उपसर्ग) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त); ‘having covered/enveloped’

• वर्तमानाम्: existing/operating
• वर्तमानाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛt (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तमोमात्राम् इति विशेष्येण

• स्व-धर्मतः: according to its own nature
• स्व-धर्मतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from/according to its own nature’; समासः (स्वधर्म) + तः

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on Self-knowledge in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Tamas
• Rajas
• Sattva

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It frames the inner vision as seeing how the gunas function in relation to the Self: tamas appears as a veiling, regulating force, while the Self remains the locus of discernment that can witness these coverings.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies antar-darśana (inner contemplation): sustained meditation that discriminates the guna-based coverings—especially tamas that obscures clarity—so the practitioner can pursue sattva and transcend even sattva through higher knowledge.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By teaching a shared yogic-metaphysical framework (gunas, inner witness, and liberation through knowledge), the Ishvara Gita voice attributed to Lord Kurma aligns with Shaiva yogic terminology, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis rather than rivalry.